Apparatus for washing and sterilizing bottles



F. S. BURNHAIVL' APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND STERILIZING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION man mac. :9, ms.

1 ,400,797 Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

33 1 ,4;- 4- p. 41 rr I 21 a GHQ anew APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19, 1916.

Patented D60.20,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 wuewtoz 6 440. WM

ineizpe FREDERICK S. BURN'HAIVI, F WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS.

icense.

Application filed December 19, 1916.

To all whom it may concern lle it known that l, FREDERICK El. BURN- HAM, a citizen of the United States of Americz, and a resident of ll ellesley, lllassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for lashing and .Bterilizin Bottles, which invention is i'ully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for washing or sterilizing articles and, While capable use for so treating a Wide variety oi arti s, is especially adapted to the Wasl'iing or sterilizing of bottles.

an object or this invention is to provide a device of the type described whereby, without especial skill, a relatively large number of artirles to be cleansed, as bottles,

rther object of this invention is to device of the character described, ein the distributing means for the hashing; or sterilizing fluid comprises a plurality of nozzles or nippl s adjustably niminted whereby the spacing of said nozzles or nipples may be varied in accordance the size of the articles to be cleansed.

a further object is to provide in connecuiith adjustably mounted nozzles or 11 pics as last referred to, means whereby .1. e spacing of said nozzles or nipples may be simultaneously and proportionately varied. ier objects relate to the provision or or sterilizing apparatus having a cover pioiided with distributing means for a Washing or sterilizingfluid, which disirihuting; means is brought into operative relation with the articles to be cleansed by the closing of the cover; having means, as a calibrated device, for the ready predetermining of the spacing oi the nozzles; and having adjustable means for predetermining the position of the portable device by Which the articles to be cleansed are positioned in operative relation to the distributing means for the washing or sterilizing fluid.

.ull other objects relate to the provision of a device of the type described that shall be simple in construction, easily assembled, sive to manufacture, and eiiicient iii use.

Stated broadly, the Washing or sterilizing apparatus comprises a container, preferably provided With a cover, d1str1but1ng means Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2d, 1921..

Serial no. 137,863.

for a yvashing or sterilizing fluid within said container, and portable means wherein may be assembled a plurality of articles to be cleansed and by which said articles may be positioned in operative relation to the distributing means for the Washing or sterilizing fluid. Said distributing means prefer ably comprises a plurality of nozzles, said nozzles being maintained in spaced relationship by adjustable means enabling their spacing to be simultaneously and propertionately varied. 'lhe cover of said conis also preferably provided with distributing; means for a ivashin or sterilizingfluid, such distribu g means being brought into operative relation with the articles tri be cleansed by the closing of said cover.

' The invention capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which shown on the accompanying drawings. it to be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of i lustration only, and not to be construed as definitions of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims Eor that purpose.

in th drawings, wherein the same relierencc characters designate corresponding parts in. the several ires,

Figure l is a perspecti 3 view of the con tamer showing; l nozzles therein;

big. e is a. PEISPQCtlVQ 'ltiW of the portable means for assemblinpthe articles to be cleansed, showin the two parts thereof in s ar-rated relationship i Fl 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the container; 7

4 is an enlarged horizontal section through the containers;

l i 5 is'an enlarged transverse vertical sec on through the container;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section through the container upon a different scale and showing the adjustingmembers for the nozzles provided with means to maintaii'i their parallelism; and

Fig. 7 is a detail upon a still larger scale of one of the nozzles.

ll 'hile the invention is illustrated as applied to the washing or sterilizing of bot ties, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not restricted to this use, as other uses will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 is acontainer of suitable shape, and 2 is a cover therefor preferably hinged thereto as shown in Fi 1.

Within the container are distributing means for a washing-or sterilizing fluid, said means preferably comprisinga plurality of individually movable nozzles3 of which any suitable number may be employed and which are arranged in rows. nozzles 3cis connected by a flexible conduit, as a piece of rubber-tubing 4, with one ofa plurality of pipes 5, shown as positioned n the bottom of the container, said pipes 5 communicating adjacent one end with a header 6 from which extendssuitable piping 7 providedwith a valve or valves 8 by which a suitable washing or sterilizing fluid or fluids, such assteam, alkaline solution, or pure water,inay be at will admitted to said header 6, and. thereby through the pipes5 and conduits 4: to thenozzlesB.

Means, preferably adjustable, are vprovided for maintaining the nozzles 8 inspaced relationship. As shown, each, of the four sides of "the container is provided with. a ledge 9, anduponthe opposed pairs. Of ledges are supported two sets of transverse members 10; Each ofsaid members is shown as provided with, a longitudinal slot, extend ing throughout the major portion thereof. Said members may be constructed in a variety of ways, the illustrated fornrcomprisi abar, slotted longitudinally-as described. At each point of intersection. of each member with a member extending at right-angles thereto, is positioned'a nozzle, said nozzle extending through the slots of, both said membersand being provided with a collar 11 between said members, whereby the nozzleis retained in position. The members of each of said sets are preferably in parallel relation, this parallelism being maintained by suitable means, as links, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 6. As here shown, one member of each set, prefeablythe centraljmember, is maintained fixedly imposition, as by screws 12 passing therethrough' into the cor responding ledges, and a lazy-tongs, one

ateach end of each of said sets, is operatively connected with all thesaid members of the corresponding set. The outer pivot of each link of a lazy-tongs is mounted on one of. the members 10 at 13, and the inner pivot of each link comprises a pin 1 work mg in the slot of an adjacent member 10. 'llhereby the members of each set are maintained in parallelism, while the members of either set may be moved to vary the distance between said members, themovement of one set being transmit-ted to the nozzles which are guided in their movement by the members of the other set. Accordingly, the relative spacing of all the nozzles will be simul taneously and proportionately varied by the movement of any one member of either set,

Meansare preferably provided for pre- Each of said determining the spacing of the aforesaid parallel members andtherefore of the nozzles,-such means taking any suitable form. As shown, calibrated bars 15 are positioned above the aforesaid members and attached to the ledges 9- in any suitable way, as by clamping screws 16. saidcalibrated bars 15 may also exert a clamping action upon the members of the respective transversesets whereby to maintain the same fixedly in position after adjustment,

The cover 2 of the container may also be desirably provided with distributing means for the washing or sterilizing fluid. As shown, said cover, carries in any suitable way a plurality of pipes, 17 provided with aperturesw iele iy the same constitute a spraying; apparatus. Said pipes, are connected with an inlet pipe 18 provided with a valve 19,-, said pipe 18 being connected with the source of fluid'by afiexible connection, as a piece of rubher-tubingQQ, whereby the cover may, he opened and'closed with respect to the Jody, of the container 1. The cover may also desirably be provided with a sealing strip 21, suitably attached to an extending ledge 22 provided thereon, said sealing, stripengaging aledge 23 provided on the upper edge of the body ofthe container. If desired, clamping devices 24 may be permanently, pivotedto the body of the container and be provided with clamping screws 25 adapted, to engage the aforesaid ledge 22 when swungfupwardly into position above the same. v

For assembling a plurality of'the articles to be cleansed a portabledevice of the type showni r Eig, 2' isrprovided. As shown, this portable device comprises a receptacle 2 of suitable size and shape to snugly hold definite, number of the articles to be cleansed; A second part 27 comprises a frame adaptedQto fit, upon the'upper edge of receptacle 26', said frame being provided with a plurality of longitudinal bars or rods 28 adaptedfto engage the articles in the receptacle 26 and retain and support the same positionwhen the portable device is inverted. then such articles are bottles, the rods or bars 2Srare so spaced as to receive the necks of the bottles between them, but to engage the shoulders of the bottles and constitute supporting means therefor when inverted in operative relation to the nozzles .3. Means are preferably provided for predetermining-the position of the portable de vice when thesame is used to operatively position the articles to be cleansed with respect to the nozzles. Any suitable means of this type may be employed. As shown, each ledge. Mounted upon bar 30 is a pair of sleeves 32, each provided with an upstanding flange 33 shaped to engage the extremities, as the corners, of the portable device heretofore described. The sleeves 32 are slidable upon the rod 30, and to retain the same in ad usted position each is provided with any suitable means, as spring-pressed clamping pin 34.

Assuming the articles to be cleansed to be bottles of various sizes, the bottles are assorted in accordance with their size, and a receptacle 26 selected in which may be assembled in snug relationship a relatively large number of bottles of a definite size. Frame 27 is next mounted upon the receptacle 26 with the necks oi"- the bottles protruding between the bars or rods 28. Membars 10 are then so spaced that the nozzles have equal spacing with the necks of the bottles. Receptacle 26 with its frame 27 is now inverted and positioned with the bottles in operative relation to the nozzles 23, as shown in Figs. 8 and 5, wherein the frame 27 is shown in full lines and the receptacle 26 in dot-and-dash lines. l/V hen the positioning device as shown in Fig. 4 is employed, bar 30 is moved to engage its pins 81 with the proper apertures 29., and sleeves 3:2 are slid along said bar until the upstanding flanges 33 engage the corners of the frame 27. Receptacle 26 may then be removed, the bottles being supported by the engagement of bars or rods 28 with the shoulders thereon, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the frame 2'? resting upon the members 10 which thereby constitute a support fol-the bottles in operative relation to the nozzles 3 which, as shown, then extend into the interiors of: the bottles. Cover 2 may then be closed, clamp ing devices 24, when used, being swung up and screws 25 engaged with flange 22. Strip 21 then seals the joint between the cover and the casing, preventing the escape from the interior of the container of any of the fluids that may be used. The closing of the cover also brings the pipes 17, when used, into operative relation with the bottles. The washing or sterilizing fluids may then be admitted by the operation of valves 8 and 19 with the fluid flowing into the header 6 and then through pipes 5 and conduits a to the nozzles 3, and also flowing through pipe 18 into the spraying devices. The nozzles project the cleansing fluid into intimate engagement with the interiors of the bottles, cleaning the same, and the fluid is also sprayed over the exteriors of the bottles, as shown in Fig. 5, to similarly clean their outer surfaces. The bottles may then be removed as a whole, and the container is then ready to receive the next set of bottles. Bottles of another size being assembled in an appropriate container, the nozzles are re-spaced to conform with the spacing of the necks 01 such bottles, members 10 being slid along the ledges 9 into proper position. When the members 10 are connected by linkage, as the lazy-tongs shown, movement of any one of the members in one set produces a simultaneous and proportionate movement of all of the other members in one set, whereby the proportionate spacing of the nozzles is main tained constant. Where calibrated bar 15 is employed, the members 10 may be readily positioned by moving the same into c0incidenee with the appropriate calibration on the bar. If the bar also operates as a clamping member as shown, the screws 16 be tightened to firmly clamp members 10 in their adjusted position. The receptacle 26 and frame 27 with its contained bottles then inverted and the frame supported on the members 10 with the bottles in operative relation to the nozzles as before, bar 30 and flanges 33 being adjusted into engagement with the frame 27 as before explained: The washing or sterilizing fluid is then admitted, as heretofore pointed out, and the b ttles subsequently removed. Thus, by having a number of receptacles 26 and "frames 27 oi? assorted sizes, it will be perceived while one set of bottles is being cleansed, a second set of the same or difierent size may be assembled ready for insertion in the apparatus immediately that the first set has become properly cleaned. special skill, the articles to be cleaned can be readily assembled and positioned in proper relation to the fluid distributing apparatus, and such apparatus may be kept in substantially constant use. By provic a plurality of pipes '2' leading from dif" sources of fluid, different fluids may be cessively admitted to the distributing apparatus to thoroughly wash and sterilize the bottles at one operation.

0 L wri '1 By reierence to Pigs. l and o, will in observed that the nozzles extended throi each member 10 of one set of spacing cevices form a row of nozzles within said member, which row is parallel to the row of nozzles within each of the other members 10 of the same set, so that when one member 10 is moved, all the rows of nozzles cooper ating with the members 10 oi said set are moved toward and from one another.

It will also be observed, that the nozzles in each row are also individually movable toward and from one another in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction in which said row of nozzles is moved, which is effected by movement of any member 10 of the second set in a direction substantially at right angles to the movement of the member 10 of the first-mentioned set. It will further be observed that when the nozzles are moved by the members 10 of one set, the members 10 of the other set act as guides for the said nozzles. Also it will be oblhereby, without any I llO servedthat the nozzles havea definite'spaced relation and in the present instance, the-relation is such that four adjacent nozzles form the corners of a square, whose length is substantially equal to the width or diameter of the bottles or other articles at their widest part, and that when the nozzles are adjusted to receive bottles or other articles of diflferent sizes, the four nozzles referred to when adjusted retain the same relation to a square of a different size.

While the invention has been-described with considerable particularity, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not to r be restricted to the construction illustrated on the drawings, as the same is capableof recebzin variety of mechanical forms, some oi: which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Further more, certain features oi: the-invention are capable oi use without other features thereof. Therefore the limits of the invention are to be defined by the claims hereto appended. 7

hat is claimed is r 1. In a device or" the character described, in combination, a plurality of nozzles individually movable in paths substantially at right angles to each other, saidnozzl'es being arranged in rows substantially .at right angles to one another, a movable device engas ino' the nozzles in one row, and a movable device engaging the nozzles in a row substantially at right angles .to the firstmentioned row, whereby the nozzles in each rOW may be moved simultaneously in a direction transverse to the length of said row. I

2. In a'device of the character described, in combination, a plurality oi. nozzles arranged to form thecorners eta square and individually movable in different directions substantially at right angles to each other, means for moving said nozzles individually to lorm the corners of squares of different Whose sides are substantially equal in length to the greatest width or diameter of the articles to be placed over the said nozzles,

and enable the same nozzles to be used with the same number of articles of different diameters.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a container, distributing means for a washing or sterilizing fluid therein, said means comprising plurality of movable nozzles, sets of movable mei'nbcrs arranged transversely to each other and en gaging said nozzles to move thc same in di'llerent directions substantially at right angles to each other and to maintain the same in spaced relationship, and means simultaneously adjusting the. members of eit er of said sets independently oi the e or the other to simultaneouslyand prope ately vary the spacing of said nozzles.

4. In a device oi? the character described, the combination of a container, a header, a plurality oi pipes leading from said header, a plurality of nozzles in said container flexibly connected with said pipes, and means adjustable in directions subs tially at right angles to each other for maintaining said nozzles in predetermined spaced relationship.

5. In a deviceotthe character described, incombination, a set of substantially parallel longitudinally slotted bars, second set or substantially parallel longitudinally slotted bars arranged transversely with relation to the first-mentioned set with the slots of the bars in one set crossing the slots in the bars or" the other set, a plurality oi individually movable nozzles extended through the slots in the bars of both sets, and means for simultaneously moving the bars in one set with relation to the bars of the other set to effect movement of said nozzles.

6. In a device Off'tllt) character described, in combination, a plurality'oit nozzles individually movable, sets of adjustable parallel simultaneously movable members arranoed substantially at right angles to each other, each nozzle being engaged by one member of each set and the members coii erating with said nozzles to effect movement of the nozzles in one direction by moving one set of members and to erlect movement of the said nozzles in a direction substantially at right angles to the first-mentioned direction by moving the other set of said members.

In testimony whereof I have signer. this specification.

FREDERICK s. scanners.

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